Amusement bailway



July 26, 1932.

L s. cASslDY ET AL AMUSEMENT RAILWAY original Filed Feb. 1s", '1929 3Shts"shet l L /IYE aww/whom @cow es, @a/aoinq 9mm/wlw @lq/m4005019,

v l. S. CAsslDY ET AL Jllly 26, 1932. `AMUSEMENT RAILWAY .Re 18,544

original Filed Feb. 1s. i929 5 sgeetsrsheet 2v L. S. CASSIDY ET ALAMUSEMENT RAILWAY Re, 18,544

July 26, 1932.

5 Sheets-Sheet original Filed Feb.' 16, 1929 IIE- Suva/whoa @my a: @mw

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Gnomqqb Reissued `luly 26, 1932 UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE LEON S.CASSIDY AND LIARVIN REMYFER, OF BRIDGETON, NEW JERSEY AMUSEMENT RAILWAYfOriginal for reissue filed April 14,

The invention relates to railways for use at pleasure parks and otherplaces for giving enjoyable rides either in small individual cars or intrainsof such cars.

It is one object of the invention to provioe a railway in which thefront portion of each car is guided by a wheel engaging a track, Whilethe rear portion of said car is supported by wheels which run upon afloor which supports the track, the rear wheels being spaced from thetrack so that the rear end ot the car may lash or otherwise movetransversely of the track. A further advantage of such a three pointsupport for the car with "the front wheel support guided by the singletrack rail, resides in the fact that the car is enabled to make veryshort turns and hence a relatively long length of track ,may beinstalled in a small area as compared with the prior art four wheeledcars ruiming on two parallel track rails.

It is a further object of the invention to provide novel means forsupplying currentl to a driving motor for the car.

Yet another obje-ct is to provide an amusement railway which embodies aloading and unloading length of track and a pleasure ride length oftrack, both lengths having current conductors with the conductors of onelength independent of those of the other length, and to provide meansfor conducting current to the conductors of the pleasure ride length oftrack and independent switch-controlled means for conducting current atwill to the conductors of said loading and unloading length of track,each car being provided with current pick-up means engageable with theconductors of either length of track to conduct current to thecar-driving motor. rlhus, the cars upon the loading and unloading lengthof track may remain idle except when the person in charge desires tomove them 'from one point to another or to advance them into thepleasure ride portion of the track, and while the cars on thislastnarned portion of the track continue in operation, those on theloading and unloading portion of the track may remain either still ormay be moved at the will of the attendant. Moreover, whenever there isno current being 1;'0. 1,746,496, dated December 24, 1929, Serial No.340,550, filed February 16, 1929. Application 1931. Serial No. 530,114.

ted to the loading and unloading portion of the track, as soon as a carreaches it from the other portion of said track, supply of current tothe car motor is cut oil so that it will either drift to a standstill ormay be stopped by a brake or otherwise. l

Preferably the pleasure ride portion of the track is within a darkenedbuilding and a further object of the invention is to provide entranceand enit vestibules for said building through which the track passes,said vestibules being provided with car-opened selfclosing doors soarranged that light is eX- cluded from the building when a car is eitherentering or leaving.

lVith the foregoing and minor objects in view, the invention resides inthe novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, descriptionbeing accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view through a building equipped withthe improved amusement railway.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the entrance and exitvestibules as indicated f' by line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through one of the cars and thefloor thereunder as indicated by line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4l is a horizontal sectional view on line l--4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view on line 5-5 ofFig. 3.

Fig. 6 is another transverse section on line `6--6 of Fig. 3.

The form of construction illustrated in the drawings will be ratherspecifically described with the understanding that within the scope ot'the invention as claimed, numerous variations may be made.

The numeral 8 denotes a building which is preferably darkened. At theexterior of this building, a loading and unloading platform 9 is shownand at 10 and 11 we have illustrated entrance and exit vestibules for a-I plurality of cars 12 which are guided by a continuous track 13. Acar-opened door 14 preferably Jformed of two hinged sections is disposedat each end of each vestibule 10-11 and it will be observed from Fig. 1that bothy ico a vestibule from either the exterior or the` interior ofthe building, first opens one door, then permits this door to close andthen opens the door at the other end of the vestibule. Hence, light isexcluded from the interior of the building while cars are eitherentering or leaving.

Within the building 8, various amusement devices and thrill producersmay be mounted in conspicuous places and while such devices may benormally idle, appropriate controls 15 are provided at spaced pointsalong the track 13 for bringing said devices into play when engaged byany of the cars 12. These control devices preferably each embody aswingable arm of some sort and this arm when swung by the car -mayeither operate a cont-rolling switch for one of the amusement devices,or may positively actuate suchv device.

The track 13 embodies a loading and unloading portion L upon theplatform 9 and a pleasure ride portion R within the building 8. As willbe hereinafter more fully described, each of these track lengths orportions embodies two current conductors for feeding current to thedriving motors with which the cars 12 are provided. The conductors ofthe track portion L are entirely separated from the conductors of the'portion R, and these two track portions are shown insulated from eachother at 16 in F ig. 1. Appropriate wiring 7 having two switches 17-18,is shown for supplying current to the conductors of the two trackportions L and R. Switch 18 is normally open so thatV the track portionLis dead, whereas switch 17 remains closed almost continuously so thatall cars upon the track portion R will be driven. Vhen they leave thisportion however and travel upon the normally dead portion L, they eitherdrift to a. stand-still or may be stopped by a brake or in other desiredway.` y Vhenever it is desired to move cars along this track portion L,for instance after loadinfr these cars, the switch 18 is closed, therebysupplying current to the conductors of this track portion L andconsequently feeding the current to the 'car motors. The construction ofthe track and the arrangement of its current conductors are shown mostclearly in Figs. 3, 5 and 6.

Extending along the floor 19 of the building 8 in any desireddirections, is a car-guiding and current-feeding rail 2O which ispreferably formed from channel iron or other metal with a longitudinalchannel at one of its vertical sides. Brackets 21 secured to the floorVby appropriate fasteners 22 are employed for anchoring the rail 20.Within the channel of this rail, is a strap metal current-feeding rail23 which is insulated from rail 20 as indicated at 24. Bolts 25insulated by sleeves 26, secure the parts 20-21-23 in rigidly assembledrelation and insulating washers 27 preferably surround the insulatedbolts between the parts 20 and 21.

The car 12 is provided with a front double-flanged wheel 28 whichtravels upon the rail 20, and the rear portion of this car is providedwith two wheels 29 which rest upon the floor 19 at opposite sides of andspaced from the entire trackway 13. One of these wheels 29 is secured toan axle 30 and the other is free upon this axle allowing the necessarydifferential movement in making sharp turns. An electric motor 31 isconnected by any desired means such as the gearing 32, with the shaft oraxle 30, said motor being carried by the car 12. This motor receives itscurrent from the rails 20-23. An arched fork 33 is shown carrying thewheel 28, said fork being pivoted at 34 to the front portion of t-he car'12, so that wheel 28 becomes a caster wheel and may remain properlyengaged withthe rail 20, even though the rear portion of the car maymove laterally of the track. A conductor 35 leads from the fork 33 toone pole `of the motor 31, and another conductor 36 leads from the otherpole of this motor to a contact brush or shoe 37 which is secured to andinsulated from said fork, said brush 37 contacting with the rail 23. Oneof these conductors may have an appropriate emergency switch 38 whichmay be at any convenient place upon the car 12.

The circuit of the motor 31 is completed by passage of current to therail 23 from one side of the wiring W, travel of this current throughthe parts 37-36-38 to said motor and return of the current t0 the otherside of the wiring W through the conductor 35, the fork 33, the wheel 28and the rail 20. Thus, as long as the switch 38 is closed and current issupplied to the rails 20-23, the car will be driven.

Assuming that a. number of vacant cars stand upon the track portion L asshown in Fig. 1 and these cars are then loaded for travel around thetrack, the operator closes the switch 18 thereby supplying current tothe conduct-ors 20-23 of said track portion L, whereupon the carsadvance onto the pleasure ride track length R. As they enter thebuilding 8 through the vestibule 10, they so manipulate the doors as toexclude light from said building and as said cars travel along the trackportion R, they successively actuate the control devices 15 to effectoperation of the amusement devices, thrill producers and the likecontrolled by said devices 15. In leaving the building, the cars passthrough the vestibule 11 and so manipulate the doors thereof as to admitno light, and when the cars again pass onto the track portion L, theyeither come to rest or are brought to a standstill. Attention is invitedto the fact that there are a number of rather abrupt turns in theportion R of the track 13. This, in conjunction with the wheeledmounting of the cars l2, causes the rear ends of these cars to lashtransversely of the track, much to the amusement of their occupants.Excessive lateral movement however, is prevented by striking of thewheels 29 against the rail 20 and hence there is no danger of the carjumping from the track. The said lashing or lateral movement of the rearend of the car will obviously take place only at the curved portions orturns in the track and will vary with the speed of the car. However, theuse of a single track rail with a car straddling the same and having athree point support with the front wheel support guided by the trackrail will cause th-e front and rear wheels to travel in different arcsin rounding the curves and turns in the track. This is advantageous inthat it permits very short turns to be made and consequently arelatively long length of continuous track may be installed in a smallbuilding or other small area. In prior art pleasure-ride railways knownto us the cars have had four supporting wheels which run on two paralleltrack rails or within a definite track. Such constructions require arelatively large building or area for their installation because shortturns cannot be made, and` consequently they are much more expensive.

To prevent the front or caster wheel from jumping oit the track, one armof the bracket 33 has a downwardly and inwardly extending extension 33awhich extends under the top flange of the track as shown in Fig. 5. ThisL-shaped extension forms a lock which prevents the car from being liftedfrom the track.

Vhile excellent results are obtainable from the general constructionshown and described, attention is again invited to the fact that withinthe scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made.

We claim l. In an amusement railway, a iioor, a track extending alongthe same, the upper side of said track being spaced above said floor,and a car over the track and provided with a passenger seat, said carembodying rear wheels supported by said floor in laterally spacedrelation with said track, and a front wheel guided by said track andswivelled on a vertical pivot, said floor being substantially free ofencumbrances which would prevent lashing of the rear portion of the cartransversely of the track, said rear wheels being adapted to abut saidtrack to limit such lashing of the car.

2. In an amusement railway, a floor, a single car-guiding rail extendingalong the same, and a car over the rail and provided with a passengerseat, said car embodying rear Wheels supported by said floor and spacedfrom opposite sides of said rail, and a single front support mounted ona vertical pivot and having a double-flanged wheel guided by said rail.

3. In an amusement,l railway, a floor, a single car-guiding railextending along the same, and a car over the rail and provided with apassenger seat; said car embodying rear wheels supported by said floorand spaced from opposite sides of said rail, and a single front supportmounted on a vertical pivot and having a double-flanged wheel guided bysaid rail, said floor being substanti ally free of encumbrances whichwould prevent lashing of the rear portion of the car transversely of therail.

4. In an amusement railway, a floor, a track extending along the sameand includin a wheel-guiding rail, the upper side of said track beingspaced above said floor, and a car over said track and provided with apassenger seat, said car embodying rear wheels which rest on said floorin laterally spaced relation with said track, a front wheeled supportguided by the rail of said track, and a vertical pivot connecting .saidfront wheeled support with the adj acent. portion of the car, said floorbeing substantially free of encumbrances which would 'prevent lashing ofthe rear portion of the car transversely of the track, said rear wheelsbeing adapted to abut a part of said track to limit such lashing of thecar.

5. In an amusement railway, a floor, a single car-guiding rail extendingalong the same, and a car over the rail,said car embodying rear wheelsresting on said floor and spaced from opposite sides of said rail, and afront double-flanged caster wheel guided by said rail, said floor beingsubstantially free of-encumbrances which would prevent lashing of therear portion of the car transversely of the rail.

6. In an electrical amusement railway, a floor, a metal track extendingalong the same and embodying a current-conducting-andcar-guiding rail,and a current-conducting rail, and a motor-driven car over said track;said car embodying rear wheels supported by said Hoor, a frontcurrent-pick-up-andguide wheel engaged with saidcurrent-conducting-and-car-guiding rail, a current-pickup-shoe engagingsaid current-conducting rail, and conducting means from said front wheeland said shoe to the car motor.

7. In an electrical amusement railway, a continuous track having aloading and unloading length and a pleasure ride length, both of saidlengths having current conductors and the conductorsot one length beingindependent of those of the other length,

a motor-driven car guided by said track andA having current-pick-upmeans engageable with the current conductors of either of said tracklengths; means forl conducting current to the conductors of saidpleasure ride length of the track, and independent switch-controlledmeans for conducting current at will to said conductors of said loadingand unloading length of said track.

8. In an amusement railway, a darkened building having an entrancevestibule and an exit vestibule, a track having initial and finallengths passing through said vestibules respectively, cars guided bysaid track, and a car opened self-closing door at each end ot' eachvestibule to exclude light from the building as any-car enters orleaves, each car being' of considerably7 less length than eithervestibule, allowing one door of either vestibule to close before theother opens.

9. In an electrical railway track, a currentconducting andcar-guidingrail having a longitudinal channel in one vertical'side, acurrent-conducting rail in said channel, means insulating Athe two railsfrom each other, means securing said rails together, and means forattaching said channeled rail to a support.

10. In a pleasure-ride railway, a floor, a single car-guiding railextending along and above rthe floor, a car provided with a passengerseat, said car having a central doubleianged-wheel support at its frontend resting upon said rail and flange-free rear wheels laterally spacedfrom said rail and resting on said floor, a vertical pivot connectingsaid Support to the car, an electric driving motor for said car, andmeans conductively independent of said floor for establishing anelectric circuit through said motor.

11. In a pleasure-ride railway, a passenger car having a seat, ksaid carbeing provided with a front centra-l double-flanged-wheel supportmounted on a vertical pivot and about which the rear end of the car mayswing, and with flange-free rear wheels laterally spaced in oppositedirections from the car center, a floor supporting said rear wheels, acar-guiding and conductor rail extending along and above said floor andpositioned between said rear wheels in spaced relation therewith, saidrail supporting said doubleanged-wheel support, a second conductor railuni-directional with andmounted near the first named rail, currentfeeding means for said rails, and an electric driving motor for said carreceiving its current from said rails.

12. In a pleasure-ride railway, a floor, a

.single car-guiding rail extending along and above the same and havingcurved portions, and a car over the rail and provided with a passengerseat; said car embodying rear wheels supported by said iioor and spacedj from opposite sides of said rail, and a doublelanged front wheelsupportmounted on a vertical pivot and guided by said rail; the

portions of said floor along said curved p0rtions of said rail beingsubstantially free of encumbrances which would prevent movement of therear portion of the car transf versely of the rail.

13. In a pleasure-ride'railway, a floor, a single car-guiding railextending along and above the same and having curved portions, and a carover said rail and having a body provided with a passenger seat; saidcar embodying rear wheels resting on said floor and spaced from oppositesides of said rail, a wheeled support supporting the front end of thecar body and guided by said rail, and a vertical pivot connecting thefront end of the car body with said support, said pivot allowing freerelative turning of said body and support as the iront and rear wheelsfollow diferent arcs in rounding the curves of the rail.

14. An amusement railway, comprising in combination, a floor, a trackextending along the floor comprising a current Vconducting and carguiding rail, a current conducting rail adjacent to and parallel withthe track and connected in circuit with the track with a source ofelectricity, a motor driven passenger-carrying car straddling said trackand embodying a pair of wheels tractionally supporting the rear of thecar upon the ioor at the outer side of the track and a front wheeltraction support on the track, a vertical pivot connecting said supportto the car, and current pick-up means carried by the car in electricalconnection with the car motor engaging said current conducting rails ofthe track.

15. An amusement railway, comprising in combination, a floor, circuitousparallel conductor rails mounted over the floor and one of said railsconstituting a car guiding rail, a car having a passenger seat andembodying a pair of wheels engaging the floor at the outer sides of therails to tractionally support one end of the car and having a guidewheel support at the opposite end upon the guide rail, a vertical pivotconnecting said support to the car, an electric motor carried by the caroperatively connected with the floor-supported Wheels, and means forconducting current from the rails to the motor including at least oneconductor shoe carried 'by the car in electrical connection with themotor for slidable engagement with one of the rails.

16. An amusement railway, comprising in combination, a floor, a pair ofparallel conductor rails mounted above the floor and one railconstituting a'car-guiding rail, and a car to straddle the railsembodying a pair of wheels tractionally supporting the car at one end onthe floor at the outer sides of the rails, and a support carrying ahanged wheel tractionally engaging the guide rail and the car pivotallysupported at the opposite end on the support to have movement on avertical axis intersecting the longitudinal axis of the car.

In testimony whereof, We aix our sgnatures.

LEON S. CASSIDY. MARVIN REMPFER.

